ST PAUL (CNN) - Barack Obama is wholly untested and unprepared to be president, former Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said Tuesday - the most pointed criticisms yet of the Democratic presidential nominee delivered at the scaled-back GOP convention.

"Democrats present a history making nominee for president," Thompson told the cheering crowd. "History making in that he is the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for president.

"Apparently they believe that he would match up well with the history making, Democrat controlled Congress," he continued in the prime-time speech. "History making because it's the least accomplished and most unpopular Congress in our nation's history."

Thompson, who abandoned his own presidential bid after poor showings in the first round of primaries early this year, also criticized the Illinois senator for comments at a recent faith forum during which he declined to say when he believed human life began.

"We need a president who doesn't think that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is above his pay grade," Thompson said in what was a clear reference to Obama's comments at a forum sponsored by Rick Warren last month.

Thompson faced criticism during his own presidential run when a YouTube clip of a 1994 Senate debate showed Thompson declaring, "The ultimate decision on abortion should be left with the woman and not the government."

It was also revealed Thompson once lobbied for an abortion-rights group.

soundoff(382 Responses)

mike

Is Fred Thompson still alive?

September 2, 2008 11:22 pm at 11:22 pm |

Elle

The RNC just reiterated the fact that the Republicans are disconnected from majority of Americans. They feel things are not as bad. Fred Thompson said. "Listening to the other side you think we were in a depression." Uhhhhh, maybe not for you Mr. Hollywood actor, but its pretty darn close for the rest of us.

I cannot WAIT for the debates.

September 2, 2008 11:22 pm at 11:22 pm |

Dem in Dallas

Just look around that convention hall, it is 99% white....this is not representative of America! The Republican party is old, white, tired, boring, and full of hypocrites sitting so high on their pedestals they can't see the country that is changing right before their eyes. They just don't get it, bless their little hearts.

Go Obama-Biden, you guys are on your way for sure!

September 2, 2008 11:22 pm at 11:22 pm |

Dems Unite

i couldn't hear what he was saying from all the throat clearing he was doing. oh well...guess it wasn't too important...

September 2, 2008 11:23 pm at 11:23 pm |

Jamie

Where did the term red meat come from. That's all I' hearinf from the reporters. Where was that term during the other convention? Can you say bias?

September 2, 2008 11:23 pm at 11:23 pm |

timber

Some of you extremists are sad and more than a little bit frightening. Barack Obama is the most liberal Senator in the United States Senate. This is not "opinion", this is documented fact based on voting records. "Centrist"? Yeah, if you're comparing him to Hugo Chavez and Saddam Hussein.

September 3, 2008 01:54 am at 1:54 am |

kim hussein smith

"back in my day, we didnt HAVE school buses...we had to walk 12 miles, backwards, through the snow...and...and we didnt have shoes back then either, we all wore sandals with our togas....

the republicans are dishonest, hateful, greedy, crooked, BORING, uninspiring, uninteresting power-abusers and criminals! there isnt a decent or even mostly sane one in the whole rotten bunch!

america is toooo good for the repugs! they insult us all witrh their silly lies about john mccain being a maverick, or "his own man"-whatever THAT means! john mccain is rove/cheney/bush's ventriloquists dummy!!!

rove hand-picked palin to ensure that the repugs lose in 2008! he's so out of touch he thinks we're still fools enough to fall for his silly shenanigans--go back DOWN to the dark place where you were spawned, we're through with you rovie boy! it's time for you to gather all your stolen millions from this country and move to dubai with georgey and dickey! you all deserve each other; johnny boy will be over there on november 5th!